Engineering ethics

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Engineering ethics is the field of applied ethics and system of moral principles that apply to

the practice of engineering. The field examines and sets the obligations by engineers to

society, to their clients, and to the profession. As a scholarly discipline, it is closely related to

subjects such as the philosophy of science, the philosophy of engineering, and the ethics of

technology.

Contents

[hide]

1 Background and origins

o 1.1 The 19th century and growing concern

o 1.2 Turning of the 20th century and turning point

o 1.3 Recent developments

2 General principles

o 2.1 Obligation to society

o 2.2 Whistleblowing

o 2.3 Conduct

3 Case studies and key individuals

4 Notes

5 References

6 Further reading

7 External links

o 7.1 Australia

o 7.2 Canada

o 7.3 Germany

o 7.4 United Kingdom

o 7.5 United States

o 7.6 International

Background and origins[edit]

The 19th century and growing concern[edit]

The first Tay Bridge collapsed in 1879. At least sixty were killed.

As engineering rose as a distinct profession during the 19th century, engineers saw

themselves as either independent professional practitioners or technical employees of large

enterprises. There was considerable tension between the two sides as large industrial

employers fought to maintain control of their employees.[1]

In the United States growing professionalism gave rise to the development of four founding

engineering societies: The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) (1851), the

American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) (1884),[2] the American Society of

Mechanical Engineers (ASME) (1880), and the American Institute of Mining Engineers

(AIME) (1871).[3] ASCE and AIEE were more closely identified with the engineer as learned

professional, where ASME, to an extent, and AIME almost entirely, identified with the view

that the engineer is a technical employee.[4]

Even so, at that time ethics was viewed as a personal rather than a broad professional

concern.[5][6]:6

Turning of the 20th century and turning point[edit]

The Boston molasses disaster provided a strong impetus for the establishment of professional

licensing and codes of ethics in the United States.

When the 19th century drew to a close and the 20th century began, there had been series of

significant structural failures, including some spectacular bridge failures, notably the

Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster (1876), Tay Bridge Disaster (1879), and the Quebec

Bridge collapse (1907). These had a profound effect on engineers and forced the profession

to confront shortcomings in technical and construction practice, as well as ethical standards.[7]

One response was the development of formal codes of ethics by three of the four founding

engineering societies. AIEE adopted theirs in 1912. ASCE and ASME did so in 1914.[8]

AIME did not adopt a code of ethics in its history.[4]

Concerns for professional practice and protecting the public highlighted by these bridge

failures, as well as the Boston molasses disaster (1919), provided impetus for another

movement that had been underway for some time: to require formal credentials (Professional

licensure in the US.) as a requirement to practice. This involves meeting some combination of

educational, experience, and testing requirements.[9]

In 1950, the Association of German Engineers developed an oath for all its members titled

'The Confession of the Engineers', directly hinting at the role of engineers in the atrocities

committed during World War II.[10][11][12]

Over the following decades most American states and Canadian provinces either required

engineers to be licensed, or passed special legislation reserving title rights to organization of

professional engineers.[13] The Canadian model is to require all persons working in fields of

engineering that posed a risk to life, health, property, the public welfare and the environment

to be licensed, and all provinces required licensing by the 1950s.

The US model has generally been only to require those practicing independently (i.e.

consulting engineers) to be licensed, while engineers working in industry, education, and

sometimes government need not be licensed. This has perpetuated the split between

professional engineers and those in industry.[14] Professional societies have adopted generally

uniform codes of ethics. On the other hand, technical societies have generally not adopted

these, but instead sometimes offer ethics education and resources to members similar to those

of the professional societies. This is not uniform, and the question of who is to be held in the

highest regard: the public or the employer, is still an open one in industry, and sometimes in

professional practice.[13]

Recent developments[edit]

William LeMessurier's response to design deficiencies uncovered after construction of the

Citigroup Center is often cited as an example of ethical conduct.

Efforts to promote ethical practice continue. In addition to the professional societies and

chartering organizations efforts with their members, the Canadian Iron Ring and American

Order of the Engineer trace their roots to the 1907 Quebec Bridge collapse. Both require

members to swear an oath to uphold ethical practice and wear a symbolic ring as a reminder.

In the United States, the National Society of Professional Engineers released in 1946 its

Canons of Ethics for Engineers and Rules of Professional Conduct, which evolved to the

current Code of Ethics, adopted in 1964. These requests ultimately led to the creation of the

Board of Ethical Review in 1954. Ethics cases rarely have easy answers, but the BER's nearly

500 advisory opinions have helped bring clarity to the ethical issues engineers face daily.[15]

Currently, bribery and political corruption is being addressed very directly by several

professional societies and business groups around the world.[16][17] However, new issues have

arisen, such as offshoring, sustainable development, and environmental protection, that the

profession is having to consider and address.

General principles[edit]

“ Engineers, in the

fulfillment of their

professional

duties, shall hold

paramount the

safety, health, and

welfare of the

public ”

— National Society of Professional

Engineers, [18]

“ A practitioner

shall, regard the

practitioner's duty

to public welfare

as paramount." ”

— Professional Engineers Ontario, [19]

Codes of engineering ethics identify a specific precedence with respect to the engineer's

consideration for the public, clients, employers, and the profession.

Many engineering professional societies have prepared codes of ethics. Some date to the

early decades of the twentieth century.[13] These have been incorporated to a greater or lesser

degree into the regulatory laws of several jurisdictions. While these statements of general

principles served as a guide, engineers still require sound judgment to interpret how the code

would apply to specific circumstances.

The general principles of the codes of ethics are largely similar across the various engineering

societies and chartering authorities of the world,[20] which further extend the code and publish

specific guidance.[21] The following is an example from the American Society of Civil

Engineers:[22]

1. Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public and shall

strive to comply with the principles of sustainable development in the performance of

their professional duties.[22]

2. Engineers shall perform services only in areas of their competence.[22]

3. Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner.[22]

4. Engineers shall act in professional matters for each employer or client as faithful

agents or trustees, and shall avoid conflicts of interest.[22]

5. Engineers shall build their professional reputation on the merit of their services and

shall not compete unfairly with others.

6. Engineers shall act in such a manner as to uphold and enhance the honor, integrity,

and dignity of the engineering profession and shall act with zero-tolerance for bribery,

fraud, and corruption.[22]

7. Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout their careers, and

shall provide opportunities for the professional development of those engineers under

their supervision.[22]

Obligation to society[edit]

The paramount value recognized by engineers is the safety and welfare of the public. As

demonstrated by the following selected excerpts, this is the case for professional engineering

organizations in nearly every jurisdiction and engineering discipline:

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers: "We, the members of the IEEE,

… do hereby commit ourselves to the highest ethical and professional conduct and

agree: 1. to accept responsibility in making decisions consistent with the safety, health

and welfare of the public, and to disclose promptly factors that might endanger the

public or the environment;"[23]

Institution of Civil Engineers: "Members of the ICE should always be aware of their

overriding responsibility to the public good. A member’s obligations to the client can

never override this, and members of the ICE should not enter undertakings which

compromise this responsibility. The ‘public good’ encompasses care and respect for

the environment, and for humanity’s cultural, historical and archaeological heritage,

as well as the primary responsibility members have to protect the health and well

being of present and future generations."[24]

Professional Engineers Ontario: "A practitioner shall, regard the practitioner's duty

to public welfare as paramount."[19]

National Society of Professional Engineers: "Engineers, in the fulfillment of their

professional duties, shall: Hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the

public."[18]

American Society of Mechanical Engineers: "Engineers shall hold paramount the

safety, health and welfare of the public in the performance of their professional

duties."[25]

Institute of Industrial Engineers: "Engineers uphold and advance the integrity,

honor and dignity of the engineering profession by: 2. Being honest and impartial, and

serving with fidelity the public, their employers and clients."[26]

American Institute of Chemical Engineers: "To achieve these goals, members shall

hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public and protect the

environment in performance of their professional duties."[27]

American Nuclear Society: "ANS members uphold and advance the integrity and

honor of their professions by using their knowledge and skill for the enhancement of

human welfare and the environment; being honest and impartial; serving with fidelity

the public, their employers, and their clients; and striving to continuously improve the

competence and prestige of their various professions."[28]

Responsibility of engineers

The engineer recognizes that the greatest merit is the work and exercises his profession

committed to serving society, attending to the welfare and progress of the majority. By

transforming nature for the benefit of mankind, the engineer must increase his awareness of

the world as the abode of man, his interest in the universe as a guarantee of overcoming his

spirit, and knowledge of reality to make the world fairer and happier. The engineer should

reject any paper that is intended to harm the general interest, thus avoiding a situation that

might be hazardous or threatening to the environment, life, health, or other rights of human

beings. It is an inescapable duty of the engineer to uphold the prestige of the profession, to

ensure its proper discharge, and to maintain a professional demeanor rooted in ability,

honesty, fortitude, temperance, magnanimity, modesty, honesty, and justice; with the

consciousness of individual well-being subordinate to the social good. The engineer and his

employer must ensure the continuous improvement of his knowledge, particularly of his

profession, disseminate his knowledge, share his experience, provide opportunities for

education and training of workers, provide recognition, moral and material support to the

school where he studied, thus returning the benefits and opportunities he and his employer

have received. It is the responsibility of the engineer to carry out his work efficiently and to

support the law. In particular, he must ensure compliance with the standards of worker

protection as provided by the law. As a professional, the engineer is expected to commit

himself to high standards of conduct (NSPE). [1] 11/27/11

Whistleblowing[edit]

The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster is used as a case study of whistleblowing and

organizational behavior including groupthink.

Main article: Whistleblower

A basic ethical dilemma is that an engineer has the duty to report to the appropriate authority

a possible risk to others from a client or employer failing to follow the engineer's directions.

According to first principles, this duty overrides the duty to a client and/or employer.[29] An

engineer may be disciplined, or have their license revoked, even if the failure to report such a

danger does not result in the loss of life or health.[30]

In many cases, this duty can be discharged by advising the client of the consequences in a

forthright matter, and ensuring the client takes the engineer's advice. In very rare cases, where

even a governmental authority may not take appropriate action, the engineer can only

discharge the duty by making the situation public.[31] As a result, whistleblowing by

professional engineers is not an unusual event, and courts have often sided with engineers in

such cases, overruling duties to employers and confidentiality considerations that otherwise

would have prevented the engineer from speaking out.[32]

Conduct[edit]

There are several other ethical issues that engineers may face. Some have to do with technical

practice, but many others have to do with broader considerations of business conduct. These

include:[21]

Relationships with clients, consultants, competitors, and contractors

Ensuring legal compliance by clients, client's contractors, and others

Conflict of interest

Bribery and kickbacks, which also may include:

o Gifts, meals, services, and entertainment

Treatment of confidential or proprietary information

Consideration of the employer’s assets

Outside employment/activities (Moonlighting)

Some engineering societies are addressing environmental protection as a stand-alone question

of ethics.[22]

The field of business ethics often overlaps and informs ethical decision making for engineers.

Case studies and key individuals[edit]

Petroski notes that most engineering failures are much more involved than simple technical

mis-calculations and involve the failure of the design process or management culture.[33]

However, not all engineering failures involve ethical issues. The infamous collapse of the

first Tacoma Narrows Bridge, and the losses of the Mars Polar Lander and Mars Climate

Orbiter were technical and design process failures.

These episodes of engineering failure include ethical as well as technical issues.

Space Shuttle Columbia disaster (2003)

Space Shuttle Challenger disaster (1986)

Therac-25 accidents (1985 to 1987)

Chernobyl disaster (1986)

Bhopal disaster (1984)

Kansas City Hyatt Regency walkway collapse (1981)

Love Canal (1980), Lois Gibbs

Three Mile Island accident (1979)

Citigroup Center (1978),

Ford Pinto safety problems (1970s)

Minamata disease (1908–1973)

Chevrolet Corvair safety problems (1960s), Ralph Nader, and Unsafe at Any Speed

Boston molasses disaster (1919)

Quebec Bridge collapse (1907), Theodore Cooper

Johnstown Flood (1889), South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club

Tay Bridge Disaster (1879), Thomas Bouch, William Henry Barlow, and William

Yolland

Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster (1876), Amasa Stone

Notes[edit]

1. Jump up ^ Layton (1986). pp. 6-9

2. Jump up ^ The AIEE merged with the Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE) (1912) in

1963 to form the IEEE.

3. Jump up ^ AIME is now the umbrella organization of four technical societies: the

Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME) (1957), The Minerals, Metals &

Materials Society (TMS) (1957), the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) (1957), and the

Association For Iron and Steel Technology (AIST) (1974). Neither AIME, nor its subsidiary

societies have adopted a formal code of ethics.

4. ^ Jump up to: a b Layton (1986) p. 35.

5. Jump up ^ ASCE (2000). p. 10.

6. Jump up ^ Flavell, Eric. "The ASCE Code of Ethics: PRINCIPLES, STUDY, AND

APPLICATION". ASCE. Retrieved Nov 27, 2013.

7. Jump up ^ ASME member H.F.J. Porter had proposed as early as 1892 that the

engineering societies adopt uniform membership, education, and licensing requirements as

well as a code of ethics. (Layton (1986). pp. 45-46)

8. Jump up ^ Layton (1986). pp. 70 & 114.

9. Jump up ^ Layton (1986). pp. 124-125.

10. Jump up ^ Dietz, Burkhard, ed. (1996). Technische Intelligenz und "Kulturfaktor

Technik". p. 29.

11. Jump up ^ Lorenz, Werner; Meyer, Torsen (2004). Technik und Verantwortung im

Nationalsozialismus. p. 55.

12. Jump up ^ https://www.vdi.de/fileadmin/media/content/hg/16.pdf

13. ^ Jump up to: a b c Layton (1986)

14. Jump up ^ Layton (1986). pp. 6-7

15. Jump up ^ "Board of Ethical Review". National Society of Professional Engineers.

2013. Retrieved Nov 29, 2013.

16. Jump up ^ Transparency International and Social Accountability International

(2009). Business Principles for Countering Bribery. Retrieved 2013-11-29.

17. Jump up ^ "Report Details Guidelines to Reduce Corruption in Engineering and

Construction Industry" (Press release). ASCE. 2005-06-17. Retrieved 2006-10-20.

18. ^ Jump up to: a b "NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers". National Society of

Professional Engineers. 2013. Retrieved Nov 29, 2013.

19. ^ Jump up to: a b PEO. Professional Engineers Ontario Code of Ethics. Section 77.2.i

of the Ontario Regulation 941. Retrieved: 2006-10-19.

20. Jump up ^ ICE (2004).

21. ^ Jump up to: a b ASCE (2000).

22. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h ASCE [1914] (2006).

23. Jump up ^ IEEE (2006). Code of Ethics Canon 1.. Retrieved: 2006-10-19.

24. Jump up ^ ICE (2004). p. 38.

25. Jump up ^ "Code of Ethics of Engineers". ASME. 2013. Retrieved Nov 29, 2013.

26. Jump up ^ IIE. "Ethics". [1] Retrieved: 2011-6-01.

27. Jump up ^ AIChE (2003). Code of Ethics Retrieved: 2006-10-21.

28. Jump up ^ ANS (2003). Code of Ethics Retrieved: 2011-08-19.

29. Jump up ^ Weil, "Whistleblowing: What Have We Learned Since the Challenger?"

30. Jump up ^ See NSPE, Board of Ethical Review, Cases 82-5 and 88-6.

31. Jump up ^ NSPE (2006-06-30). "Final Report of the NSPE Task Force on

Overruling Engineering Judgment to the NSPE Board of Directors" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-

02-20.

32. Jump up ^ See the case of Shawn Carpenter.

33. Jump up ^ Petroski (1985)

References[edit]

American Society of Civil Engineers (2010) [1914]. Code of Ethics. Reston, Virginia,

USA: ASCE Press. Retrieved 2011-12-07.

American Society of Civil Engineers (2000). Ethics Guidelines for Professional

Conduct for Civil Engineers (PDF). Reston, Virginia, USA: ASCE Press. Retrieved

2013-11-30.

Institution of Civil Engineers (2004). Royal Charter, By-laws, Regulations and Rules.

Retrieved 2006-10-20.

Layton, Edwin (1986). The Revolt of the Engineers: Social Responsibility and the

American Engineering Profession. Baltimore, Maryland, USA: The Johns Hopkins

University Press. ISBN 0-8018-3287-X.

Petroski, Henry (1985). To Engineer is Human: the Role of Failure in Successful

Design. St Martins Press. ISBN 0-312-80680-9.

National Society of Professional Engineers (2007) [1964]. Code of Ethics (PDF).

Alexandria, Virginia, USA: NSPE. Retrieved 2006-10-20.

Further reading[edit]

Alford, C.F. (2002). Whistleblowers: Broken Lives and Organizational Power,

Cornell University Press.

Fleddermann, C.B. (2011). Engineering Ethics, Prentice Hall, 4th edition.

Glazer, M.P. (1991).Whistleblower, New York, NY: Basic Books.

Harris, C.E., M.S. Pritchard, and M.J. Rabins (2008).Engineering Ethics: Concept

and Cases, Wadsworth Publishing, 4th edition.

Huesemann, Michael H., and Joyce A. Huesemann (2011). Technofix: Why

Technology Won’t Save Us or the Environment, Chapter 14, “Critical Science and

Social Responsibility”, New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, British Columbia,

Canada, ISBN 0865717044, 464 pp.

Martin, M.W., and R. Schinzinger (2004). Ethics in Engineering, McGraw-Hill, 4th

edition.

Van de Poel, I., and L. Royakkers (2011). Ethics, Technology, and Engineering: An

Introductio, Wiley-Blackwell.

External links[edit]

Wikibooks has more on the topic of: Engineering ethics

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Engineering ethics

Australia[edit]

Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia

Ethical Decision Making

Engineers Australia

Code of Ethics

Canada[edit]

Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia

(APEGBC)

Act, Bylaws and Code of Ethics

Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists, and Geophysicists of Alberta

(APEGGA)

EGGP Code of Ethics

Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Manitoba (APEGM)

Code of Ethics

Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO)

Code of Ethics (See link on front page.)

L'Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec (OIQ)

Code of Ethics of Engineers

Iron Ring

The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer

University of Western Ontario

Software Ethics - A Guide to the Ethical and Legal Use of Software for Members of

the University Community of the University of Western Ontario

Germany[edit]

Verein Deutscher Ingenieure

Ethical principles of engineering profession

United Kingdom[edit]

Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE)

Anti-Corruption Action Statement

Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)

Royal Charter, By-laws, Regulations and Rules

Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)

Professional ethics and the IET

Engineering Council (EC)

Statement of Ethical Principles

United States[edit]

National Academy of Engineering

Online Ethics Center of the National Academy of Engineering

List of links to various professional and scientific societies' codes of ethics

Onlineethics.org

National Institute for Engineering Ethics (NIEE)

National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)

Code of Ethics

Board of Ethical Review and BER Cases

Ethics Resources and References

American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)

Code of Ethics

American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

Code of Ethics

Standards of Professional Conduct for Civil Engineers

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Code of Ethics

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Code of Ethics

The Order of the Engineer

The Obligation of an Engineer

Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME)

Code of Ethics

International[edit]

Global Infrastructure Anti-Corruption Centre

Transparency International